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J. J. Zepfanman @...readers reviewed Best American Science and Nature Writing 2022 by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

Best American Science and Nature Writing 2022 (2022, HarperCollins Publishers)

A collection of the best science and nature articles written in 2021, selected by guest …

An important retrospective of 2021 writings

4 stars

I ran across this book at the library, and I'll definitely be seeking out the 2023 edition when it's released in October.

I really appreciate editor Ayana Elizabeth Johnson's commitment to including more diverse writers than the "white and coastal collection of pieces from highbrow publications."

I didn't read all of the writings in this book. They were all published in 2021, so I felt like some were already out of date. I simply skimmed the t.o.c. and picked the ones that looked the most interesting. I've already commented on Bookwyrm about the pieces by Wells, Kaplan, and Malloy.

I focused on the "Futures We Could Have" section, as I was most interested in solutions. The final piece on indigenous conservation efforts (by Sengupta, Einhorn, and Andreoni) was a good way to cap off the readings. "Researchers have found that biodiversity protection often works best when local communities have a …

I ran across this book at the library, and I'll definitely be seeking out the 2023 edition when it's released in October.

I really appreciate editor Ayana Elizabeth Johnson's commitment to including more diverse writers than the "white and coastal collection of pieces from highbrow publications."

I didn't read all of the writings in this book. They were all published in 2021, so I felt like some were already out of date. I simply skimmed the t.o.c. and picked the ones that looked the most interesting. I've already commented on Bookwyrm about the pieces by Wells, Kaplan, and Malloy.

I focused on the "Futures We Could Have" section, as I was most interested in solutions. The final piece on indigenous conservation efforts (by Sengupta, Einhorn, and Andreoni) was a good way to cap off the readings. "Researchers have found that biodiversity protection often works best when local communities have a stake."

J. J. Zepfanman @...readers reviewed The Tao Te Ching by Laozi

The Tao Te Ching (Hardcover, 1999, HarperCollins)

A short but lasting document

4 stars

I had an enjoyable week listening to the Tao Te Ching (道德經 in Traditional Chinese, lit. "Way Virtue Scripture"), Stephen Mitchell's 1989 audiobook version. Like many ancient writings, it has changed drastically since it was first "compiled" into 81 short chapters, around 250 BCE. I'll be researching more about the textual history of the book, particularly since the oldest version was found in 1993, after Mitchell's version was published.

As for the subject matter, "The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao." - Chapter 1, line 1. #TaoTeChing #DaoDeJing

J. J. Zepfanman @...readers reviewed The epic of Gilgamesh by N. K. Sandars

The epic of Gilgamesh (Paperback, 1972, Penguin)

The stories of the king of Uruk

4 stars

I've finally read one of the oldest and most influential works of literature in the world. This was a 1972 version, so I'll be looking into the latest archeaological findings and translations.

J. J. Zepfanman @...readers reviewed Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

Gender Queer (GraphicNovel, 2020, Oni-Lion Forger Publishing Group)

In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics …

Review of 'Gender Queer' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

An impressive "graphic memoir." One of the few comic-book-style memoirs I've ever read, and one that I couldn't put down. I'm a slow reader and it only took me an hour or two to get through it. The illustrations are top-notch and the writing is engaging, as well. An important work that everyone should read and learn from.

Personal note on the research mentioned: Touching a Nerve, by Patricia S. Churchland.

J. J. Zepfanman @...readers reviewed Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Anonymous

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (AudiobookFormat, 2017, Blackstone Audiobooks, Blackstone Audio, Inc.)

Review of 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Armitage/Wallace audiobook review. I did not realize that this had both the Armitage and original-language versions of the audiobook. I saw the 2021 film last week and was inspired to read the book. As Gawain was in the green chapel, I kept wondering what else could happen in the story, being less than halfway through. And then it concluded and Bill Wallace started the 2nd half of the book in an incomprehensible tongue - I did not finish that half, since it would require some language training.

As for the story, it was more straightforward than the film. There was a lot of hunting in the middle of the story that did not interest me, but the overall quest and poetry was enjoyable to hear.

J. J. Zepfanman @...readers reviewed The war, the West, and the wilderness by Kevin Brownlow

The war, the West, and the wilderness (1979)

Review of 'The war, the West, and the wilderness' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

A valuable document of early cinema. Completed in 1978, the book is full of photos and statements from the original filmmakers. Brownlow tracked down many of the films and journeyed far and wide to give us a book than no one else could write.